For the first time in decades, American youth radically transformed the evangelical religious landscape. According to the latest data from the Barna Group published on September 4, 2025, generation Z (13-28 years) and Millennials (29-44 years) are now the main engines of the attendance of Protestant and Evangelical Churches in the United States.
An unprecedented generational reversal
The report opens with an inversion of trends: while baby boomers and “Elders” have long been the majority of church benches – with a monthly frequency of 2 to 2.3 participations around the 2000s -, their presence has clearly declined over 25 years. While generation X has remained stable, it is youth that displays a spectacular progression. From the pandemic, the Sunday attendance of millennials and generation Z has almost doubled: there are 1.9 participation on average per month for Gen Z against 1.8 for millennials, or around 23 or 22 Sundays per year. Older generations now cap at 1.4 for boomers and 1.6 for generation X.
The context and the issues
This evolution is far from harmless: it marks a change of culture in the evangelical Christian world. The growing interest in faith and community belonging to young people challenges leaders, who see a crucial opportunity to reinvent the discipulative journeys and commitment strategies. David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, underlines in his statements how much this dynamic must be accompanied: “Young adults show a new spiritual curiosity and seek belonging, but they do not yet attend each week. Each contact counts and religious leadership must adapt to these new rhythms ”.
Figures analysis
Statistics are the base of this report:
- Barna Group interviewed 5,580 people between January and July 2025, as part of a recurring study on more than 132,000 adults over 25 years.
- Overall, all groups combined, the presence recorded over a typical month does not exceed 1.6 times, or two out of five weekends.
- In 2025, young people noted the challenge of community transformation, giving a new impetus to the attendance of churches.
The spiritual vitality of Millennials and the Z generation redefines the future of Protestant Christian communities. The major issue for pastors: convert this irregular attendance into a lasting and deep commitment, thanks to digital tools and personalized support. This report shows how the American church, carried by its youth, is about to negotiate a historic turning point and to write a new page in its history.
Sources:
Access Barna Group
